The Unseen Voters: A Couple’s Struggle for Participation in Bangladesh’s Electoral Landscape
Jagalba Village, Kushtia – By a dusty roadside in Jagalba village, Kushtia, an elderly couple resides in a rudimentary shelter constructed from tin and polythene. This makeshift dwelling offers scant protection from the elements, yet for Babu Sheikh and his wife Kajol Rekha, it represents a decade-long home. As Bangladesh gears up for its 13th national election, their participation remains elusive, not due to apathy, but due to a financial barrier that disenfranchises them: a demand for Tk 650 in house tax to facilitate their voter registration.
“We live hand to mouth,” Kajol Rekha shares, her voice tinged with resignation as she sits within the confines of their humble abode. “We simply could not manage the money.” This inability to afford the tax has once again relegated them to the sidelines, denying them a voice in the democratic process they so yearn to be a part of.
A Life Upended by Political Strife
The couple’s current predicament is the culmination of a life uprooted by political persecution. Approximately 15 to 16 years ago, they were repatriated to Jhenaidah after fleeing their ancestral village of Chhota Moukuri in Shailkupar upazila. In their former life, they owned land and managed livestock, a stable existence shattered by their choice of political allegiance.
Their decision to cast a vote for the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ symbol in a past national election, it is alleged, led to a brutal backlash. Following the victory of the Awami League at the time, they claim to have faced relentless harassment and torture, compelling them to abandon their home and seek refuge elsewhere. Their search for safety eventually led them to Jagalba village, under the Betbaria Union in Kushtia’s Khoksa upazila, where they have eked out an existence ever since.
Living in Limbo: Documents, Security, and Dignity
Today, Babu Sheikh and Kajol Rekha, along with their children, occupy a precarious space beside a road. The land they inhabit has been temporarily provided by Kajol Rekha’s maternal uncle, and they possess no land of their own in the area. Their shelter, a testament to their destitution, lacks proper fencing, doors, or windows. Torn jute sacks, salvaged polythene sheets, and pieces of material used to combat river erosion are ingeniously employed to patch together their living quarters.
Abdul Matin, a member of Ward No. 2 of Betbaria Union, describes their living conditions as “extremely inhuman.” He notes that they have endured this state of hardship for over a decade and a half. The absence of fundamental documentation has become a significant impediment to their voter registration.
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Obstacles to Registration: According to Matin, the requirements for voter registration or transfer are stringent. Applicants typically need to provide documents such as:
- Electricity bills
- Tax receipts
- Land ownership papers
- Even a registered mobile phone number
The couple possesses none of these essential documents, effectively barring them from formal inclusion in the electoral roll.
Broken Promises and Unfulfilled Aspirations
Kajol Rekha, who is described as mentally challenged, recounts a recurring pattern of dashed hopes. Before each election, well-meaning individuals visit their humble abode, offering assurances of assistance with their voter registration. However, these promises, she laments, never materialise.
In the lead-up to the 12th national election, the couple approached Helal Uddin, a local Awami League leader, in the hope of finally achieving their goal of becoming registered voters. Their plea was met with the condition that they first deposit Tk 650 as house tax at the Union Parishad. “As we could not manage the money, our dream of becoming voters remained unfulfilled,” Kajol Rekha states, her voice laced with a profound sense of disappointment.
Helal Uddin has acknowledged knowing Kajol Rekha and confirmed that she had indeed relocated to the area following political persecution. He admitted to attempting to facilitate her voter registration transfer but stated that it could not be completed.
Lingering Fears and the Shadow of the Past
Beyond the immediate financial strain, a pervasive sense of fear continues to influence the couple’s decisions. Having experienced firsthand the violent consequences of their political choices, Kajol Rekha expresses deep-seated anxiety about participating in future elections. “We are afraid. What if voting means we have to leave this place too?” she questions, the trauma of their past casting a long shadow over their present.
As Bangladesh stands on the precipice of another national election, Babu Sheikh and Kajol Rekha remain on the fringes of society. They are citizens in name, yet their fundamental right to participate in the democratic process is systematically denied. Their story is a stark reminder of the unseen individuals whose voices are silenced by poverty, bureaucratic hurdles, and the enduring echoes of political instability, highlighting the critical need for more inclusive and accessible electoral participation.
